The Quest for Knowing Christ the Lord
The diligent student of the Holy Bible has one magnificent obsession: knowing Christ in order to know God. Jesus assured His disciples, “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him (Jn 14:7);” and to Philip, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father…(Jn 14:9).”
Seeing Jesus is the primary objective for our studies in the Scriptures. We have an inspired exercise: to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Pet 3:18), the wisdom of God and the power of God (1 Cor 1:24). We want to know Him and the power of His resurrection (Phil 3:10). We do have a Helper in this pursuit, the Holy Spirit, our Teacher (Jn 14:17). He is the anointing within every soul born again of God (Jn 3:1–8; Eph 1:13; 1 Pet 1:3; 1 Jn 2:20, 27).
The Holy Spirit and the Word of God, the Bible, are the essential means in the quest for knowing Jesus Messiah. Without the Spirit and the Word, one is left with ignorant speculations about Christ and God. There is simply no substitute for truth, as it is in Jesus (Eph 4:21).
The knowledge of the truth is the knowledge of Christ, His Person and His work (Jn 14:6; Rom 3:4). The voluminous nature of His work is captured by the Apostle Paul, in his epistle to the Romans, “For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen (Rom 11:36).”
The face of Christ is the place we have the knowledge of the glory of God illumined for us (2 Cor 4:6). This illumination is the Light granted by God’s grace, in order for us to see the Word of God. We hear the Word of Christ (Rom 10:17). We know the truth (Jn 8:32). We believe. It is all of grace; and grace is God’s exclusive work in willing and doing His good pleasure in the lives of His beloved (Phil 2:13).
As God’s mercies are bestowed every morning (Lam 3:22–23), there is a daily renewal of the heart and mind of the believer positioned “in Christ.” The Spirit of God washes us with the water of the Word of God (Eph 5:26). The Christian is cleansed and further sanctified in conformity to Christ our Lord (Rom 8:29), by the gracious work of the Spirit (Rom 15:16; 1 Cor 6:11; 1 Thess 5:23; 2 Thess 2:13; 1 Pet 1:2).
Christ-likeness requires an act of God, who performs all our works for us (Is 26:12), and accomplishes what concerns us (Ps 57:2; 138:8). The Holy Spirit employs Holy Writ, resulting in the saint being set apart from the world of sin and unto God. Momentum is enhanced in one’s quest for the knowledge of the Holy One. The more we know Christ, the more we pursue Him; and the more we pursue Christ, the more we know Him.
The Christian advances in the Gospel; and it is grace upon grace being manifest in us who believe in Him. Boldness in unashamedly bearing witness of Christ to others is increased when grace abounds (Acts 4:31; 9:28; 14:3; 18:26; 19:8; 1 Cor 1:31; 2 Cor 11:21; 12:9; Eph 6:20; 1 Thess 2:2). In turn, thanksgiving is the spirit and attitude of the recipient of Christ (1 Thess 5:16–18). The desire of the Christian, as an ambassador for Christ (2 Cor 5:20), is to serve the Lord with his whole heart, soul, mind, and strength.
Jesus Christ is God (Jn 1:1; Titus 2:13; 2 Pet 1:1). He is the second Person of the Triune Godhead. Stated another way, Jesus is the eternal Son of God in vital loving relationship with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. Together, they are divinity in community — being of the same essence.
As it pertains to creation, Jesus is creator of all things (Col 1:16); and He is the sustainer of all things (Heb 1:3). All things were made by Him (Jn 1:3, 10); and in the new creation, the glorified Christ at the right hand of Majesty on the throne of heaven has promised to make all things new (Rev 21:5).
As it pertains to salvation, Jesus was sent from heaven into the world (Jn 3:16). He was enfleshed for the purpose of saving those people the Father gave to Him before Creation (Jn 1:14; 2 Tim 1:9; Rev 13:8). He came to save His people from their sins (Mt 1:21).
As it pertains to the kingdom of God’s beloved Son (Col 1:13), He rules and reigns over all, as Lord of all (Mt 28:18; Acts 10:36). He is the King of kings and Lord of lords, the King of glory (Ps 24). There is no end to His rule (2 Sam 7:16; Heb 1:8; Rev 1:6; 11:15). His is an eternal kingdom (Dan 2:44; 4:34; 6:26; 7:18. He reigns, forever.
Jesus is coming again to judge the living and the dead (Acts 10:42; 2 Tim 4:1; 1 Pet 4:5; Rev 19:11–21). He is the just Judge of all the earth (Gen 18:25); and all people ever conceived must appear before the judgment seat of Christ (2 Cor 5:10). All must give an account. For the Christian, there is now no condemnation because Jesus has cancelled his or her entire debt of sin (Rom 8:1; Col 2:14), having granted us forgiveness of all our sins (Mt 26:28; Eph 1:7; Col 1:14; Heb 10:18).
In these brief paragraphs noted above, there is a small sample of who Jesus is, what He has done and is doing for the benefit of His bride (Eph 5:25), His church (Mt 16:18), the Israel of God (Gal 6:16).
Doing theology, even Christology, in community is God’s will, as iron sharpens iron (Prv 27:17). We are blessed by our fellowship with other believers walking by the Spirit (Gal 5:16). It is the indwelling Spirit of Christ who brings us together to learn Christ (Rom 8:9, 11).
We pursue Christ because He first pursued us. It is His Spirit in us that causes each believer to hunger and thirst for the righteousness. We find satisfaction for our souls only in Christ. There is no one like Him. There never has been, nor will there ever be another Messiah of God. Jesus Christ is the unique God-man, king-priest, who has first place in everything (Col 1:18).
The quest to know Christ is the most elevated pursuit for any one person or group of people. It should be first on every person’s list of things to do. In one sense, the whole world is a collection of distractions designed by the devil to deceive sinners into thinking that Christ is foolishness (Ps 2:1–3; 1 Cor 1:18). The wisdom of God, however, is wiser than the wisdom of men (1 Cor 1:20–21), who are under the influence of the evil one (2 Cor 4:4).
While it is yet called, “today,” let us renew our zeal for Him who loved us and gave himself over to suffering and death for us — that we might live in Him and live for Him, now and in our eternal home (Eccl 12:5), which He has gone to prepare for us (Jn 14:2–3).
Jesus is coming again as the Lion of the tribe of Judah. Every eye will look upon Him whom they pierced (Zech 12:10; Jn 19:37); and as the world mourns, the chosen people of God will rejoice at so great a salvation afforded to us. We know this because it has pleased God to reveal it to us that we might be His people, even as He is our God.
David Norczyk
Spokane Valley, Washington
January 3, 2024
